Travellers to UK may be forced to pay N800k for 2-week stay in quarantine hotels

 

Travellers to the UK could be forced to pay for their own two-week stay in quarantine hotels as government officials mull new plans to stop new variant of Covid-19 from entering the UK.

The system reportedly being discussed with some hotel groups is already in operation in Australia. It will see new arrivals in the UK staying in their hotel rooms for up to a fortnight at their own cost.

This arrangement may cost travellers up to £1,500 (about N800,000).

The UK Daily Mail reports that the British government dreads a situation that a new Covid-19 variant that is resistant to the currently available vaccines may be imported.

Similar systems have been used in Australia, which recorded just 204 new Covid-19 cases in the last 14 days, and New Zealand, which recorded just 81 cases in the last fortnight.

The Australian Government initially covered the quarantine hotel costs at the start of the pandemic.

But those entering Australia since July have been forced to pay up to £1,500 for the two-week quarantine stay in some parts of the country.

Designated quarantine hotels apply strict Covid-19 protocols, including kitting their staff in full Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).

Currently all travellers coming to the UK must provide a negative test before travel, before isolating for up to 10 days at a fixed address. They can leave if they test negative after five days.

Immigration arrests Chinese sex workers in Lagos

Arrested in Lagos: Chinese sex workers. Image: Punch

The National Headquarters of Nigerian Immigration Service is investigating 11 Chinese sex workers arrested at Ikeja area of Lagos.

PUNCH Metro learnt that the suspects, who were arrested by the NIS Lagos Command, were transferred to Abuja on Wednesday after a directive from the office of the Controller-General that the suspects should be investigated by the head office of the NIS.

The spokesman for the service, Mr. Akin Olumba, who confirmed this to our correspondent on the telephone on Sunday, said other members of the syndicate who are in hiding would be fished out.

“The man and woman, who run the syndicate, are still out there. We will ensure they are arrested,” Olumba said.

Asked about the ages of the arrested suspects, Olumba said he could not divulge the information for now because of the ongoing investigation.

PUNCH Metro learnt that aside the 11 sex workers, two men, who were also Chinese nationals, were arrested when the NIS operatives raided their residence at Emina Crescent, off Toyin Street, Ikeja, where the alleged sex workers were housed.

They were said to have been arrested following a tip-off.

Our correspondent learnt that the couple, whom the immigration confirmed are in hiding, run the cartel in conjunction with some Nigerians.

A resident of the area, who witnessed the operation in which the Chinese nationals were arrested, told our correspondent that people in the area had been suspicious of what was going on in the residence.

The man, who identified himself simply as James, said, “There have been different rumours about the Chinese people we see in the building.

“Some people said they were high-class sex workers patronised by politicians and expatriates while some said they were just factory workers.

“Nobody actually knew what they do. I wasn’t surprised when the place was raided and they were arrested.”

The sex workers were said to charge between $1,000 and $2,500 from their affluent  patrons.